


The Foundation of Familiarity

by SHF



Series: The Safe Baudelaires Chronicles [2]
Category: A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV), A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket, Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Dark Will Graham, Family Fluff, Fix It Fic, Fix-It, Found Family, Gen, Hannibal Lecter is a Cannibal, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kid Fic, M/M, Murder Family, Sunny deserves better, and a softie, and so do her siblings, as in people tried to kill them, in the making, uh.. second fic...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:13:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28950966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SHF/pseuds/SHF
Summary: Let’s imagine that things don’t happen like they will happen. Let’s assume, using out imagination that the series of unfortunate events that may happen if some are not. If they are viciously stopped as new characters arrive in a crucial moment.Let’s just assume and develop that idea.That a pair of partners in crime and in life get thrown into our story and all that was going to happen radically changes, people that were going to die, don’t, people that were going to live, die, a baby is born to the world with two parents that later become three, and orphans, that were supposed to be only in mutual company, find a family to call their own.Let’s assume that our new characters change given their life experience to improve the lives of three down on their luck orphans. And let’s enjoy this retelling of how a found family can change everything with just a tad of kindness, care and a tad or murderous justice.
Relationships: Klaus Baudelaire & Sunny Baudelaire & Violet Baudelaire, Will Graham & Will Graham's Dogs, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Series: The Safe Baudelaires Chronicles [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073981
Comments: 20
Kudos: 53





	1. The Simple Affair Of Eating

**Author's Note:**

> First of All thanks to my Beta reader and best friend in the whole wide world MB who kindly read and re read this to make it have sense.  
> Also I want to thank everyone who read the fist part and sent me lots of love. YOU ALL ARE AMAZING.  
> This is an immediate sequel from The Neutral Meeting, so it's advised to read that first, but who am i to tell you what to do???  
> Fun fact!  
> The summary actually was a piece for its own and it was originally called the "Let's imagine overture" and i totally forgot about it, and found it two weeks ago, and i really wanted to share it with yall.  
> Without further ado... Enjoy!

“Well,” Mr. Will got the attention of the distracted children “It’s better if I show you all your rooms, if you may follow me upstairs.”  
The three children moved quietly, even Sunny in Violet’s arms was as observant and watchful as ever. This is usually the point when Count Olaf could appear.  
“Mr. Graham,” called Klaus as they passed the tiny toddler proofed gate at the top of the stairs.  
“You can call me Will, you know?”  
“Is there any other visitor in the house at the moment?”  
Mr. Will saw straight through the question but decided to just answer.  
“No Klaus, in this house for the foreseeable future will live us five and three dogs, no more no less.”  
With reddened cheeks, Klaus understood the implications and only exhaled a “Thank you.”  
“Well kids, on this floor are five bedrooms and three bathrooms, the last door to the right is a guest room we reserve for our other adopted daughter Abigail, she is studying abroad right now and you all might meet her over the holidays.” Explained Mr. Will getting closer to the end of the hall and pointing at the open door, next he pointed to the open door closer to the stairs, inside it seemed to be an odd kind of samurai armor,” That one is the master bedroom which door will always remain unlocked shall any of you ever need Hannibal or me, I know the samurai armor is weird as heck, I have been trying to get rid of the thing for over six years.” The kids didn’t enter the room but saw what they could over the threshold and Klaus smirked a bit which Mr. Will considered a big win.  
“Now the three at the left are all yours” continued Mr. Will as he directed them prompting them to the closest room, painted in mint green, with a huge crib and several soft cushions, stuffed animals, and three plush dog beds scattered over the floor, “This is for Sunny, sadly Hannibal and I never predicted such a big girl so we should sooner than later change the crib for a bed, also, this happened to be the dogs' room, but, after seeing how much you like Winston I doubt that would be much of a problem” Sunny smiled for the big news of her roommates, and the older siblings got the important part, three dogs would protect Sunny at night.  
“No puoblem” gurgled Sunny, anyone fluent in toddler would promptly be able to present it as...  
“It’s no problem at all,” Violet translated, with a cautious smile while holding an amazed Sunny.  
“Very Well. Let’s move to the next room.” They left through a door that communicated to the adjacent room, Violet’s bedroom.  
The walls were painted in soft pinks and purples, it had a big canopy bed occupied the near wall, the other one has a big wooden desk near to a huge closet, that seemed filled with clothes from one of its open doors, and further was a vanity with combs, pins and trinkets. The room was huge, so big it even had a reading nook beside the window and a small reading chair. It was Violet’s turn to be amazed.  
“This one is as big as Abigail’s room, that door goes to the shared bathroom, all the wood in this room is cherry except the desk which is the sturdiest oak I could find, so you can do most anything in that desk, from designing to fixing a boat motor of you please, but, I may suggest, the workshop in the garage is a better place for that.” The clear invitation made Violet imagine wild things, happy things.  
“I have no words to thank you enough, Mr. Will. This room is beautiful.”  
“Don’t thank me for that, Hannibal is the one that designed and furnished these rooms, I only helped moving stuff,” in a more secretive voice he added “I can promise you he looks scary, but he is a big softie, he is just really nervous of having you all here. Honestly, we were not planning for more kids, but let’s say you quickly changed our minds.” For the three, now pinkish, children it was impossible to think someone as stern as Dr. Lecter would be nervous over anything, but Mr. Will’s kind expression almost made them believe him.  
“Let’s see the bathroom now.”  
As they passed through, they detailed a big bath that could be completely covered by curtains, an open shower made of one-way mirrors so you couldn’t see inside, and a couple of sinks with all the bathroom appliances one could imagine. It was a huge expensive bathroom just for them.  
At last, they opened the door to what would be Klaus’ room.  
The door opened in and let the afternoon light in the bathroom. Klaus’ room was soft greens and deep blues, also had a canopy bed, a much more modest desk an and equally full wardrobe but more impressive than that was the fact that the whole room, except the wall that was made of a thick pane of glass, that let as much sunshine as possible in, was filled with empty bookshelves, all of them empty but one filled with twenty or so books, Klaus was speechless.  
“Even if this is not the biggest room, Hannibal though, after seeing your file, that may be the old windowed room would fit you more.” Then he pointed “those books over the desk are some of Hannibal’s and my favourites, sometimes one can know people over their taste in things like books, we thought that maybe it was a good start.” Explained Mr. Will without hurry “ the shelves are for you to fill with all the books of your choice, consider yourself free to scavenge the library downstairs as you please, and, if you want more just ask. In this house books are a necessity not a luxury.”  
Klaus was overwhelmed as Mr. Will spoke, he was more than a tad flushed, the soft murmur arose “Thank you Mr. Will, please, also thank Doctor Lecter.” Klaus’ chest filled to the brim with gratitude for the thoughtfulness.  
The three Baudelaires were so filled with emotion, they did not know how to muster better words for gratitude than a mere thank you.  
“Please don’t thank us, Hannibal and I… We are doing what you deserve, we just want to give you finally a safe place. We are honored to have you here and have the chance to be your legal guardians.” finished Will with a weird emotion that could only be described as the mix between the protectiveness of a mother lion and the care one can only feel for those in terrible need.  
He cared deeply for these kids even as he merely met them. Clearing his throat he disposed of the spell of the moment shared between them “Well,” said letting all eyes in the room dry “in every closet there are clothes Hannibal thought you would like and fit in, if you happen to find something you like, dislike or want to change just let us know and we will see it through. You can visit every room in the house freely and pick things as you want, but, right now I invite you to meet your rooms and refresh yourselves if you want while my husband and I prepare dinner, which might be in a bit over an hour.”  
At the moment all that the cautious speechless Baudelaires could muster was an almost unison “Thank you Mr. Will.”  
“Welcome home Violet, Klaus, and Sunny,” muttered Mr. Will as he exited the room and added one last thing before closing Klaus’ room door “we are very happy you are all here.”

* * *

After the emotive moment shared with the siblings Will somewhat rushed downstairs. He trusted his husband with all of his heart but also knew Hannibal was going to murder Mr. Poe. That was a fact.  
As he arrived at the kitchen Will found a relatively calm Hannibal finishing what will be an amazing lamb stew in little less than an hour.  
“Did they like their bedrooms?” Hannibal sounded as calm as ever while putting the stew in the oven.  
“They loved the bedrooms, even asked me to thank you. Violet said hers was beautiful, and Klaus almost cried while telling him that he could fill the bookshelves to his heart’s content.”  
Now a small smile appeared on Hannibal’s lips “They look like good children, smart and kind.”  
“I bet they are great” managed Will with a toothy grin.  
Will then let a couple of minutes pass in contemplative silence, while Hannibal rinsed and assorted fresh greens for a salad, before asking in a grimmer manner.  
“As for Mr. Poe…?”  
“I suppose he is his long way home in his hideous car, with damaged lungs.” Answered Hannibal disinterested with the topic.  
“So… not in the freezer, as for right now.”  
“Will, I’m not that negligent as to do anything to harm the children in any way. Even by proxy.”  
“I know that, but you really looked ready for murder every time you looked at him.” Will moved around the kitchen island, closer to Hannibal.  
“And I will murder him, but later, after things have settled, time has passed and the children feel safer.” Will’s arms held the doctor in an embrace.  
“That might need time,” murmured Will into his husband’s neck, “I think they might need a therapist, have you seen how tense are Violet and Klaus?”  
“And we have only a pseudo actor to thank,” added the Doctor with distaste, “We have to kill him, my love.” Susurred.  
“I’m well aware. They won't live peacefully until he is dead.”

* * *

Almost forty-five minutes after the kind Mr. Will Graham had closed the door of Klaus’ room, the three Baudelaires held a conference in Violet’s bedroom on the subject of their new legal guardians.  
“Eem ice” they seem nice, were the well-meant feelings of Sunny.  
“Esmè Squalor also seemed nice Sunny”, replied Klaus while watching out of the window for anything suspicious. Especially a dark damaged car with an acting troupe inside.  
“I don’t know Klaus, Mr. Will seems honestly nice, and they don’t look as… quirky as our previous tutors”, intervened Violet.  
“Ogs”, dogs added Sunny.  
“That’s also true, those who had pet animals have always been kind to us, like uncle Monty”, argued Violet.  
“But then again uncle Monty let himself be tangled with count Olaf and now… Well”, the death of uncle Monty had shaken all of them, after all, it was the first time someone died because of them.  
“And yet… Count Olaf hasn’t appeared yet”, mussed Violet.  
“That is what I find the oddest in this situation, that and Doctor Lecter’s dislike at Mr. Poe.”  
“Oh egwet”, Or neglect, helped Sunny.  
“Maybe, anyway, let’s get downstairs, so Mr. Will doesn’t have to fetch us, if we are lucky we will be able to think more later.”  
“Even in the morning if we are lucky enough”, said Kalus.  
“Op fo besh” Let’s hope for the best.  
And like that the three orphans went downstairs and straight to the kitchen.

* * *

As the siblings arrived cautiously in the kitchen Hannibal perfected the plating of the masterpiece which would be their dinner. The Baudelaires salivated by the smell of the hearty stew. This time they would eat something palatable, not made by themselves and that was something to be thankful about.  
Doctor Hannibal Lecter was cleaning the ridges of five oddly designed china in an immaculate white apron about to add a last dollop of sauce.  
“Good evening Violet, Sunny and Klaus”, he said in his deep dark voice, for some reason he wasn’t as intimidating as in the afternoon “Will is setting the dinner table, you can go help him if you may”, offered as an excuse for them to abandon the kitchen, which the took quickly, but, before that…  
“Doctor Lecter”, resounded Violet’s sure voice without a trace of indecision “thank you for our bedrooms, they are wonderful.”  
This brought an honest yet small smile to Hannibal’s mouth.  
“Will and I are glad that you find them adequate.”  
“They are more than adequate”, Klaus inferred a bit more loudly than he pretended “I mean, they are beautiful and ideal for each of us”, his decision deflated as he ended with a more subdued “thank you Doctor Lecter.”  
Now Hannibal was seeing the three siblings with a soft expression that resembled gladness.  
“I’m pleased that you like your rooms, now why don’t you go to the dining room and help Will, I will follow shortly”, Hannibal found himself dismissing the Baudelaires as he needed a moment to absorb what just developed, not that he showed it anyway.

* * *

Like that, with one last look, the orphans went to the adjacent room, where Mr. Will Graham was fixing glasses, cloth napkins, and silver cutlery in four spaces and a toddler seat big enough to serve a whole individual serving. The chair that they correctly guessed was for Sunny was a deep mahogany with brass accents between the first and second seating, left to the head of the table.  
“Children”, Will seemed to always acknowledge them softly and Violet and Klaus thanked silently thus.  
“You are perfectly on time, could you put the napkins and silverware while I seek the beverages?”  
“Surely”, said Violet, starting to move.  
This room like the exterior of the house looked ominous with dark walls and decorations with deer antlers. It was odd but the siblings thought less and less about it as they finished setting the table.  
Mr. Graham returned with jugs of water, dark juice and a decanter halfway full or wine, as he set them on the table he told the children “Please sit, I’ll help Sunny in her throne, I swear Hannibal buys things like this just for the drama”, while picking and setting an already open-armed Sunny with care and precision.  
The comment made the Baudelaires smile. The house did have a big flare of dramatics.  
As the three children were seated Doctor Lecter arrived balancing three plates expertly, one, they noticed, was slightly smaller than the others. He served the children first, and without saying a word went back to the kitchen to retrieve the other two.  
Mr. Graham served the children what seemed to be blackberry juice and filled Doctor Lecter and his own glass with wine. Again the Doctor arrived and served the last two dishes and finally, they were all seated with warm food in front of them.  
Raising his fine glass of wine the Doctor welcomed again the Baudelaires and with soft smiles, they began to eat.  
The children rarely ate delicacies these days, but the complete dish their new tutor made, a stew, a simple salad and a side dish called polenta, tasted better than anything in their odyssey so far, and the siblings closed their eyes in the pure that a good meal can bring to one’s heart.  
“It’s delicious, Doctor Lecter.”  
“Thank you Violet”, was the simple exchange after a quiet meal, the children seemed pink in the cheeks and happy with their bellies filled with food. “Now, would you three like to have dessert with us in the lounge?”  
At the mention of dessert, the siblings roused with interest. Who knows what this man could do with sweets with meals this good.  
“If you want, wait for us in the living room while we make tea and pick the table”, suggested Mr. Graham.  
As told they did and quickly the three Baudelaires were full and warm in the leather, cushioned, and comfortable big couch waiting for what may come.  
Probably a complex conversation.  
And dessert.

* * *

As the Baudelaires chatted quietly in the common room, Hannibal and Will let the tea steep, washed the dishes, and served strawberry shortcake in record time. They moved like a well-oiled clock, swiftly and surely. They were nervous, no, not nervous, anxious.  
In exactly ten minutes two trays were ready, the dining room cleared, and the dishes drying in a rarely used rack.  
Swiftly but slowly, surely, Will and Hannibal entered the living to look at the three newest and most important guests in their home to the date.  
The children didn’t startle as they arrived, they just timidly smiled. They too were anxious, but oddly enough they did not feel bad.  
The coffee table was all fixed, presenting saucers with three servings of fresh cake with dollops of cream and slices of strawberry, other five with sweet chamomile tea. As softly as ever Will started.  
“Children”, not orphans, not Baudelaires, children “as we have told you we are glad you are here, and we are honoured to be your tutors, but, and I know that I speak for Hannibal when I ask, do you agree with this?”  
Until this moment the Baudelaires did not know they had a choice or an opinion, they were perplexed.  
“What if…”  
“Yes Klaus”, the accent got even softer as Hannibal lowered his teacup and saucer.  
“What if we wanted to leave, and have other tutors?” There was a complex emotion in Klaus’ voice. This was a clear test.  
“Then we will be the ones helping you find the new tutors.”  
Three pairs of eyes opened wide for the barest of moments. Hannibal answered very quickly, not a note of doubt in his words.  
“What if Count Olaf came for us”, now it was Violet’s turn to put down her dessert on the coffee table.  
“Then Hannibal and I would take care of him. We had investigated him, we most probably would need your help in recognizing him, but the second you do we promise, the three of you, that we will believe you and help you”, Will saw the orphans and felt their apprehension as if it were his “We will protect you. We owe you that much.”  
One tiny face brightened at the words and then got somber just as fast, the two older siblings had heard similar promises, but never that they would be blindly believed.  
Sunny was fast and as clearly as she could she asked “Wo u hurs ush?” Would you hurt us?  
Violet’s face blanched “Sunny asked...” but was promptly silenced by a soft gesture from Hannibal.  
“I understood her Violet”, these kids needed them as much as they needed the reassurance “never Sunny, mark my words, We will never hurt any of you, and as long as it is in our power no harm will come to you.”  
Will, the Baudelaires, and even Hannibal, felt overcome with the weight of these promises. Will love his husband so damn much.  
The children were teary eyes, weary and so obviously tired of the day that Will promptly found the opportunity to invite them upstairs to finally get some rest, they could keep talking in the morning over breakfast. The siblings felt exhausted and agreed without fuss.  
The five of them went upstairs, the three orphans straight to Violet’s bedroom and the pair of husbands followed without saying a thing. It was not a coincidence Violet’s bed was big enough for three.  
“Violet, Klaus, Sunny, we hope you have a good night’s rest.”  
“Lemme remind you that the three dogs we’ll be sleeping in Sunny’s room and that the master bedroom is always open, Hannibal and I are very light sleepers if you need anything you can reach us.”  
“Thank you Mr. Graham, Doctor Lecter.”  
“You are welcome, good night.”  
“Good night”, sounded in unison.  
Like this Will closed the door and left the children to themselves. They would sleep soundly and safe. They will finally get the rest they deserve.

* * *

Somewhere, several blocks over the siblings' new home a conversation between a secretary and a waiter developed.  
“I’m scared.”  
“Don’t be”, she embraced him and he felt marginally better.  
“We have to protect them, but they can’t know.”  
“Nor the Ripper can. We have to take them far away, this man is much more dangerous than Count Olaf.”  
“But if the Ripper sees us we could put them in immediate danger, besides why a homicidal maniac wants three children?!”  
“Only God knows, but we have to rescue them before we find out.”  
“Let’s only hope Count Olaf doesn’t find them first.”  
“Not to be obscure but maybe… Maybe it would be good if he finds them first.”  
“That is very obscure of you, but, it might be optimal.”  
And like that, the waiter and the secretary went down a manhole, to the sewers to keep their organization informed, and hope that the Chesapeake Ripper won’t hurt the Baudelaires, or at the very least hurt Count Olaf and Esmè Squalor first.

* * *


	2. Domestic Determinations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Words were spoken, decisions were made, and meals were eaten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WONDERFUL SUPPORT.  
> Also thanks to B, without her this wouldn't exist at all.

Sunny, Violet and Klaus were not used to sleeping. Usually, they barely had any rest and when they did sleep, they were used to sleeping together. They have done it like that since the fire, almost a whole year now.  
The first night at the Lecter-Graham household, they slept in Violet’s new plush bed, one that had more than enough pillows, blankets and quilts for the three of them. Like this, they slept the second night, the third, the fourth and all the way to the thirtieth night, many more but more and more infrequent.  
The first morning in their new tutor's house they woke up early and well-rested, and to say that they were surprised was an understatement. They were amazed.  
Quickly Violet and Sunny (with Violet’s help) dressed in soft dark dresses that looked and felt expensive. Sunny’s was a tad short but it didn’t bother her, much less with new even softer leggings. Klaus went to his own room where he found another three-piece suit, this time a woolen piece with a subtle pattern. It was a particularly handsome fit and slightly similar to the one Dr. Lecter wore the day before.  
Everything was oh so expensive, tasteful, and fitted so well, to everyone but Sunny, to whom everything fitted a bit small or it didn’t fit at all.  
After dressing in their brand new clothes they agreed to go downstairs and in any case investigate the house together. Or so they initially planned.  
As they opened the door of the room, the divine smells of food made them beeline to the kitchen, where a certain doctor and his husband prepared the kitchen island with so many dishes and jugs it looked rather like a breakfast feast, and to the children wonders never ceased.  
Very active and dressed to the nines, with a three-piece suit sans the jacket, Doctor Lecter received them with a warm smile. Meanwhile, a still sleepy-looking and in pajamas Mr. Graham acknowledged them.  
“Good morning early risers”, Mr. Graham saw them as they entered the kitchen. He spoke softly and seemed as tired just setting the silverware as Doctor Lecter was active managing muffin trays, sizzling pans full of bacon and hashbrowns. Even with his hands full, he sent a soft warm smile to every Baudelaire.  
The children stood aghast with the scene. Shy Good morning's resounded in the busy kitchen.  
After this, the orphans quietly took a seat in front of the overgrowing breakfast feast on the kitchen island. They were starting to feel hungry but were too polite and shy to pick anything without their host's clear permission.  
As fast as humanly possible, Doctor Lecter finished plating the last warm side dish and besides an already seated husband, at last, he sat.  
“Please serve yourself” was the only thing necessary for the children and a slightly more awake Will to start digging in. Doctor Lecter was relaxed and happy, silently observing as three shy orphans left this shyness to enjoy a meal, to eat their heart's content. After that, he himself began to eat.

* * *

The second they were left alone to freely be themself and acknowledge their new home as they pleased. And so, they began the never-ending reflection of what may happen next. The library was deliberately open and empty, as was the living room, the small backyard, the dining room and even the garage. Doctor Lecter and Mr. Will informed them that they would be in the relatively small office near the receiver, door open shall they need or want anything. Also, he told them that lunch would be served around one, finally, they let the orphans be.  
The Baudelaires had little less than four hours just to be by themselves, the siblings couldn’t believe their luck.  
Slowly, as if they did not understand what is happening, like something might break the spell, they exited the kitchen where Mr. Will and Doctor Lecter washed dishes and put away leftovers, talking about making smoothie bowls with “All this fruit, because someone went overboard with today’s breakfast”, “They deserve a good welcome Will”.  
The Baudelaires were astonished by the domesticity of it all as they left.  
If the Baudelaires wanted to be alone they could have gone to Violet’s or Klaus’ room, nobody would bother nor hear them, but it seemed rude with their hosts, especially as they’ve been given total freedom to roam as they pleased. So they did, and out of deference to Klaus, they began in the library.  
It was a handsome room, the most handsome to Klaus, filled to the brim with books with tomes, copies and editions. It was a cozy room that gave them an unknown, complex feeling. It felt similar to… Safety.  
And so they began talking in hushed voices picking books of useful knowledge. Sunny received dogs that freely entered the room and stayed for soft pets and ear scratches. After two hours of talking, Sunny closed a complicated issue.  
“Ey seem naish.”  
Klaus and Violet heard her clearly and didn’t contra argument a thing, but, they heard the ugly “but” in each other's mind, Esmè Squalor also seemed nice.  
After a few more minutes they reached a consensus, they would stay until one of three happened:  
If VDF contacts them in any way… though they still didn’t know if Doctor Lecter or Mr. Will were VFD.  
If Count Olaf, Esmè Squalor, Carmelita Spatz, or any henchpeople appeared, they had to leave, basically for their hosts, new tutors, safety.  
If Doctor Lecter or Mr. Will seem to be in any way as this abusive crew, they would flee as fast as possible.  
With these conclusions and what if’s situations, they finished this absurdly important conversation that will define the rest of their lives and, as if what just happened was insignificant, they continued the soft activities that would be frequent their next few days.  
Klaus read in the soft leather chair beside the lamp, and read, and read, and read as freely as hours passed by. Violet enjoyed big texts in machine analysis and mechanical systems, while filling pages and pages with notes on coloured inks that appeared in every cabinet in the house. Sunny was free to roam all spaces in the house, three dogs at her heel at all times, she loved them as the asymmetrical dogs loved her.  
Will went looking for them half an hour after one and found them in the peaceful habitat inside the library.  
In the dining another feast waited for the siblings on the table, with an odd nest centerpiece surrounding a beautiful Tarte Tatin, apples still bubbling in the caramel. Children and adults served themselves freely. Hannibal helped Sunny as a sweet excuse to watch them have their first bite of food. Savory stew, fluffy mashed potatoes and crisp salad, everyone was enjoying, and delicately expressing their gratitude for such a delicious meal.  
Hannibal was satisfied.  
After dessert in a routinary way Will and Hannibal kindly dismissed the children for them to cleanse the table and wash the dishes alone in the kitchen.

* * *

“I think we should invite them out”, said Will while drying silverware and putting it away. “At least for a little while.”  
“I really don’t think they would enjoy much interaction yet.”  
“Yeah, I get it… Also, they need a shrink, I know what murder does to a brain.”  
“That might be a better idea. Maybe we can present them the idea later in the afternoon”, Hannibal rinsed the last plate. ”I could recommend a couple of Baltimore based pediatric psychiatrists.”  
“That sounds good, they could pick themselves the doctor. I want to meet them too though.”  
“Of course, we are their legal tutors after all.”  
They exchanged “a look”. This particular look meant something in the lines of I cannot believe we have three kids. Hannibal kept talking.  
“Also, we have to think about schooling”, Will sat in front of the kitchen island, on the stool beside him sat Hannibal. “Maybe homeschooling, at least for a while.”  
“Yes but not too long, they need to socialize.”  
“I really think we should speak to them, there is also the matter of their first tutor…”  
“We can talk about it when we have dedicated some time to the kids first.”  
“Every day that we wait he may be getting closer, love.”  
“We cannot rush things. That might endanger the children”, Will’s eyes were getting sharper, Hannibal’s jaw was slightly clenched. “yet again his sole existence endangers the kids.”  
“Indeed”, abruptly Hannibal opened his eyes in surprise and looked into the house, the kitchen’s door was wide open into the corridor where Sunny and with her ardent four-footed followers were about to enter the kitchen. As they came closer Hannibal failed to suppress a smile.  
Fast, but not enough to startle any of the entering entourage, Will crouched with one of his charming smiles, just right to be eye to eye with Sunny.  
“Hey Sunny, what you up to?  
“Hi, can we go to the bakyad, pweesh?”, At the mention of said space the dogs started to make tiny jumps with their front paws and tail wagged wildly. Now Will smiled without reservation.  
“Of course, lemme accompany you.”  
“Thank you”, with no prompting needed, Sunny held Will’s hand, more exactly his ring and pinkie fingers, as he stood she took-guided him to the glass door.  
Perplexed, Will followed with Hanibal’s eyes following them. The husbands were feeling the same surprise.  
In a sweet series of events, Sunny enjoyed the sun, being chaperoned by Will -an incredibly happy and astonished Will that gave her toys for dogs- dogs that could not stop running around, tickling a laughing Baudelaire toddler.  
Shrill yells of laughter resounded through the house, alarming older siblings to action. Klaus and Violet ran to Sunny, passing a perplexed Doctor Lecter, who watched at the backyard through the window. When they finally arrived at the scene they were likewise perplexed, Sunny hast laughed that hard since… Ever.  
Like that, a bond was forming between a homicidal couple, three disgraced orphans, and three mismatched dogs.  
Let’s hope it lasts.

* * *

A small and disheveled car, filled to the brim with people, was being followed by a black nondistinctive van. If the driver in the ugly car decided to turn right and take the exit out of the state of Virginia and into Maryland, so did the van. If the driver of the crusty car, filled with actors and an awful woman, decided to speed up like a mad man into the highway, so did the van.  
So, the Count fumbled, for he was a genius, a tired genius, but a genius nonetheless. He drove to avoid the van, mindless of the people inside the vehicle, making them squish, spin, swivel and spew curses as he, finally, lost the damned van and swiftly entered the parking lot of an inconspicuous motel.  
The Vermillion Fox Dormitories was a low-cost motel with minuscule suites that could barely allow one person in, much less five hench-people, a villainous lady and a deranged Count. And so, with money they stole from someone else, Count Olaf rented three rooms for the night.  
As the mad Count had a room all to himself, he basked in the sheer brilliance, the massive intelligence he possessed, how smart was he to find his elusive prey, as they had gotten pretty far indeed. Completely alone in the first room, he kept praising himself.  
In the second room was a fuming Esmè Squalor. Hateful thoughts spouted from her head and filled the room. She should not be alone in a dingy bed, but she dared not annoy Count Olaf while he was in a mood, that would be counterproductive.  
Inside room number three, there were five hench-people of full size trying to occupy as little space as possible while, maybe, realizing that they were no part of a good deal. They were terribly far from home, tired of being used and abused, and really, not so thrilled to be persecuting children.  
Maybe, they thought that perhaps they could find other career paths. Yes, Count Olaf was extremely charismatic and unique, but they also enjoyed sleeping and eating on a regular basis sans so many people around. They were all starting to get well past weary.  
  
A couple entered the small reception of the Vermillion Fox Dormitories, over four hours after the mismatched troupe.  
A pair of light eyes, a pair of dark eyes, with the same look of determination, asked for a room, maybe with a window, they asked.  
The innocuous clerk behind the desk gave them an inconspicuous key to a boring, tiny room that had a lonely window that barely opened. It was perfect for the couple, that actually was not a couple.  
When they grabbed the Count he was fast asleep. One good shot of sedative was enough. They wanted him alive. Two got in, three got out, and all into the nondescript van, at the perfect hour, not too early, not too late. They disappeared well before dawn, to the west for a long while, then to the north, and then to whichever direction they could to be far, far away from danger.  
But, let’s go back a few hours in our chronology.  
As the first couple entered their bedroom to plan the escape and rescue, a second couple registered at the shabby lobby. A pair of light eyes, a pair of dark eyes, both spoke of the same masked righteous fury. They gave fake names at the Vermillion Fox Dormitories, then picked a room with a view, a small view, but a view nonetheless.  
They opened the door to their own room, got in and planned and prepared. Plastic covers, latex gloves and a transparent hazmat suit for each.  
With the ease that gives much, much practice, the couple, that actually was a couple, entered another room in the dark hours of the morning, just to find an empty room, and a bed filled with pillows and blankets.  
Not a problem for seasoned hunters, they went to where they knew was sleeping the other prey, the first one must be there too.  
He wasn’t there. But the villainous lady was.  
The hunters had to settle, and quench their blood thirst with this consolation prize. Slipping the sedative in her body was too easy. So, as previously, two got in, three got out, straight into the night, into a non-distinctive rental, then to a warm house with a cold basement.  
Esmè Squalor was to die and be found in a distant place, just to send a message and to scare nightmares away.  
Count Olaf was saved by an old lover and her non-dead twin, to be secured somewhere no ripper could ever find.  
Away from the Baudelaires for good.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s it! thank for the support, this will be left like this in the serial form, I mayhaps add a drabble of two that I wrote a long time ago, but no more, feel free to add to this work, I'm very active in my [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/sunhaterfreak) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/SHFonfandom) so in you want to develop this in your way, make drabbles or a continuation, or really anything I will absolutely support yall.  
> Thanks again for the immense support, your comments and reviews really pushed me in the best of ways, and HUGE thanks to B my wonderful beta, she is the best person in my world, and thanks to her you actually got more than half a chapter never finished.  
> Now comes my HC’s  
> 
>
>>   
> HANNIGRAM HEADCANON  
> How Will fell in love and didn’t jail Hannibal  
> 
>> 
>>   * Will hated shrinks but realized he needed help because he was crazy (Psycho-Killer kind of crazy), but not seizures and mind lagoons crazy so he went to the hospital, got treated for encephalitis, and delivered himself to the best psychiatrist in town, dear murderer Hannibal Lecter. OR He is sent to Hannibal in a much less reluctant way given that he is feeling weird crazee, Hannibal takes a whiff of encephalitis and handholds him all the way to the John Hopkins, and that does things to the sense of trust between them.
>>   * Will is dangerous eye-candy for Hannibal.
>>   * Will develops “Oh my gawd he is hot” feelings for Hannibal.
>>   * Hannibal invites Will to a two people party and instead of finding it creepy, dumb thot Will finds it endearing. 2M.
>>   * Hannibal finds everything about Will endearing, even the psycho killer that lurks around his head, dang especially the psycho killer that lurks around his head. Everything but the Garret Jacob Hobbs maladies so he helps (actually helps because he is not a scumbag) Will and then tries to get in touch with Abigail in the process.
>>   * After a long time, and the dislike of Alana, they get together. Three weeks before Will realizes the Chesapeake Ripper FUCKS GREATTM and has given him a daughter so why the fuck not, he buys a ring. 6M.
>>   * Six months later, Abigail lives with them, dumb bitch Hannibal Lecter finds out Will KNOWS and so Will proposes [15 M]. The wedding is cute as fuck and everyone is happy for them. [over 24M]
>>   * Abigail goes to college all the way to Canada/Florence and they support her. [3 years]
>>   * A couple of years later the Baudelaires arrive. They have been together a little less than six years.
>> *The M means months after they meet, same with years.  
>  

>
>>   
> BAUDELAIRE HEADCANONS  
> The adapted Baudelaires.  
> 
>> 
>>   * In this AU the Baudelaires are Obviously Orphans, have met Count Olaf and Esmé Squalor but not The Man with a Beard but No Hair and The Woman With Hair But No Beard.
>>   * I do believe they saved two-thirds of the Quagmire siblings in the VFD city but did not encounter Jacques Lemony, with this they do not know about the sugar bowl at all, Duncan didn’t give them the notes.
>>   * Years later, Quigley finds Violet and tells them about VFD. To this point Sunny is old enough to bet that Hannibal is the Ripper but doesn’t care, same happened to the other two kids, but they all swear Will doesn’t know. Quigley knows as the Chesapeake Ripper identity is known to VFD, what he doesn’t know though is how to tell Violet. BTW Quigley is super in love with Violet. 
>>   * Duncan and Isadora are too VFD, they got down a little over two years after the Baudelaire rescued them Quigley found them.
>>   * Will knows the kids know as fast as they themselves realize, he does nothing to misguide them.
>>   * Will and Hannibal kill Mr. Poe while he has a big lung disease, they avenge so good that they make him suffer for months and nobody realizes he is being slowly murdered. They do make him ham. Jaqueline is somewhat thankful.
>>   * Count Olaf finds himself working with Dewey Denouement and helping Kit and Dewey raise Beatrice Lemony hidden at the Hotel Denouement.
>>   * Will and Hannibal kill Esmé squalor in gruesome fashion and leave no trace, send Carmelita, her favourite pet (a horse perhaps), in pink boxes in parts and almost get Count Olaf, but Kit manages to save him. Hannibal and Will don’t find more people in fear of any agency tracing it to the Baudelaire orphans. 
>>   * The kids are thankful for their Murder Dads.
>> 


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> Thanks to the support of you my dearest readers I had actually the balls to write a bit more, the second part mus be ready in less than a couple of weeks!  
> Kudos and Comments are tremendously appreciated!!!  
> You can find me at [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/sunhaterfreak) and on [twitter](https://twitter.com/SHFonfandom) feel free to come and talk!


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